Muscat: The sale, marketing, display and distribution of used tyres of all sizes has been banned by the Public Authority for Consumer Protection (PACP).

The PACP has also prohibited the sale, marketing, display and distribution of tyres that have not been used but were manufactured 24 months earlier as well as tyres that have expired though not used for light vehicles, buses and light trucks. In case of heavy trucks, the ban is for tyres that have a 30 months old production date.

The PACP has also made it mandatory for tyre suppliers to provide the consumers with a warranty document for the tyre that should cover a period not less than one year.

The bill for tyres should also have information about the country of manufacture, date of manufacture, type of the tyre, weight, heat endurance degree and the appropriate speed for the tyre.

The supplier should also ensure that used and expired tyres are disposed of at allocated dumping locations designated by the competent authorities.

In case of violation, the supplier will be slapped with a fine of not less than OMR5,000 and the shop would be ordered closed besides confiscation of all commodities, according to the Article 21 of the Consumer Protection Law. The decision will come into effect 60 days after issuance of the order.

Dr Said bin Khamis Al Kaabi, Chairman of the Public Authority for Consumer Protection (PACP), said that the PACP is very keen to ensure the safety of the consumers at a time when there has been a significant increase in the number of road accidents attributed to the used and expired tyres.

He added that such a decision will reduce the rate of road accidents that have been taking a heavy toll besides wreaking financial losses.

Al Kaabi also pointed out that desired results will be achieved with the cooperation of the entire community as well as by raising awareness about safety among the consumers.

Al Kaabi warned that the PACP will come down heavily on those violating the new norms, and called upon the citizens and residents not to buy such tyres, given the perils that they involve.

On his part, Colonel Ahmed Al Nabhani, assistant traffic director of the Royal Oman Police (ROP) said that used tyres were responsible for 285 road accidents from 2013 till last April.

A total of 72 people died and 303 were injured in these accidents.

Al Nabhani added that the ROP hoped that competent authorities will intensify control on tyre manufacturing factories and shops that sell used tyres.

Dr Naser Al Mawali, instructor at the Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), said that road accidents caused by used tyres were leading to a great loss of human resources, particularly the youth segment. He added that the new decision will reduce the number of road accidents and prolong the vehicle's usable age besides cutting down the financial losses.

Meanwhile, many consumers have been complaining about the rising prices of tyres in the country, particularly in the capital. They purchase tyres from Al Buraimi or the UAE, where they are slightly cheaper.

Consumers said that second-hand tyres are widely available in Mabelah, Wadi Kabir, Seeb and Al Hail. Such a decision will lead to shutting down of many shops that sell used tyres and have been mushrooming nationwide. It will also lead to significant financial losses since the sellers will be forced to get rid of tyres they have already paid for.

Ahmed Al Balushi, a consumer, while speaking to the Times of Oman, said many people cannot afford to buy new branded tyres as these are very expensive.